Ore skip and the like



Aug. 30, 71932. I RoBBlNs 1, 74,711

ORE SKIP AND THE LIKE Filed June 12, 1931 :jhven F or I I RobbinsPatented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED A E 1 m 4. ROBBINS, or HIGHLAIIVNV'D PARK,rumors 01m SKIP AND THE LIKE Applicatio filed. June '12,

This invention relates to skips, buckets or 1 other containers for theconveyance or eleva-' tion of ore fines or other materialsliable tostick-r accumulate in the containers. In the: '5 art of mining, forexample, ore is transported through vertical shafts in skips and,-as theore is usually damp or wet, fine particles of ore stick to and becomecompacted inthe bottom of the skip. These fines accumulate until thecapacity of the skip is seriously reduced. When this occurs the skipsmust be stopped and cleaned by pick-and-shovel men which is a costlyoperation and involves serious delays in the operation of the mine. Myobject therefore is to devise means for preventing such accumulations.

I attain my object by providing the skip with a flexible bottom liningincluding enclosed air pockets, which pockets are comflpressible andexpansible to cause the break up of deposits forming on the lining. Acertain amount of compression followed by expansion is caused by thealternate filling and emptying of the skip, but I prefer to subject themto alternate changes of air pressure whereby they maybe alternatelyexpanded and collapsed after the skip has been emptied of its readilydischargeable contents.

The changes of air pressure may be efit'ected by alternately exhaustingair from the pockets and readmitting air at atmospheric pressure, byalternately introducing air under pressure and thereafter reducing thepressure, or by alternately exhausting air from the pockets andadmitting air at more than atmospheric pressure.

The invention is hereinafter more specifically described and isillustrated in the accgnpanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a sideelevation, partly in section, of part of the skip elevating and dumpingmechanism;

Fig. 2 a vertical section of a skip provided 1451' with a bottom liningconstructed in accordance with my invention showing also its connectionwith the air conduit; and

Fig. 3 a perspective view, partly broken away, of the bottom lining. iIn the drawing like numerals of reference 1931. "Serial No. 543,789.

At the dumping point a roller'fi ontheskip indicate corresponding partsin the different;

enters the grooved guides 7 and 8, which tip (it I the skip in a knownmanner as shown.

The skip itself is of ordinary form, being. rectangular in crosssection, the bottom rounding intothe sides. Inthe bottom I is fitted thelining 9, which is shaped tofit the contours of-the bottom and has theinner. surfaces of its margins curved to meet the sides of the skip.This lining ismade of flexible materiah preferably rubber, and is formedwithan' air pocket or pockets prefer-- ably intercommunicating. i W 1'In a preferredformthe lining isprovided- Y with a pocket 10 extendingaround it adjacent the margin andaplurality of pockets 11 inthe bottomportion communicating with one' another and the marginal pocket. j p Theprecise constructiomhowever, of the lining with its. pockets may beconsiderably varied. "The lining is secured in place. by. means of bolts12 having their heads-imbedded inthe material of the lining.

In order'that'the air pressure within the pockets may be'varied at thetime of dump ing, I provide a coupling spigot 13 at one side of thebottom, which communicates with the air pocket 10 and is adapted toenter a coupling socket 14, a washer 15 being provided to' make anairtight joint. 1 This socket; is shown as connected to a cross head 16.Connectedwith the socket 14.- is a conduit 17con nected with suitablemeans whereby the air pressure in the conduit may be'varied. It isevident that by varying the air pressure in the conduit the air pocketsI0 and 11 may be alternately extended and collapsed, thus scaling offany deposits which may have accumulated on the surfaceof the bottomlining. While this operationmight take place while the cross head isstationary, it is customary after the skip has been turned. up-side-down1 to hoist it ten or fifteen feet higher to give I super-atmospheric.The alternation of presthe finer particles a chance to loosen and fallout.

I take advantage of this movement to control the means for varying theair pressure in the conduit 17. For this purpose I provide a fourayvalve 18 of any ordinary type and provided vviththe connection 19 for;con 7 nection with the conduit 17 the connection 20 leading to theatmosphere, the connection 21 for communication witha' source'pfairund'er' pressure. and the connection 22 for communication Withexhaust apparatus. The valve is" actuated through the medium of;the-crank arm 23 connected to the valve spindle, the

"connecting rod 24:" connectinjgs the crank 23- sures satisfactorilyaccomplishes the object of my invention"and effectively loosensadherin'zo're massesfrom'the surfaceof thebot" tom lining. Itwill beunderstood, of "course, that if an under pressure is trapped inthe airpockets,' collapse a'nd expansion of' the air pockets would take placeby the loading and;

unloading of-the skip; but'it is' preferred'td emplov other means suchasdescribed to cf feet .the desired movements-"ofthef'surface of thebottom lining which the "ore contacts.

It vvill be noted that th eshape and arrange ment of the pockets is verveffective for the intended purpose; as"partsof' the surface Whereaccumulation is mostlilkely.to 'tal e place alternately presents aconcave and a convex aspect astheai-r pressure'in-the'pock etsischanged.

' What I' cI'aim as'mv inventionis: I

p A skip providedwith aflexibl bottom lining having a closed-air pocket'formed therein, Whereby the'expose'd surface of the lininz'isdeformableby variations in exter' nal or internal pressure. V A skipprovided-Wither flexible 'bott o'm lining having a plurality'of' closedair pock ets formed therein, Wherebythe xposedsurface of the liningisdefo'rmable byv'ar'ia'tions inexternal or intern al pressure; I i

3.' A skip provided with a flexibleb ott omi lining having a plurality'of intercomm'uni eating closed airp ockets formed therein, whereby theexposed surface of the lining is deformable by variations in external orin; ternal pressure. 1 m

A skip provijdedvvith flexible bottom hning of dished form having' a"closed pocket extending around it adjacent"the margin; 7

and closed pockets in the bottom portion communicating with one anotherand the mar-- ginal pocket, whereby the exposed surface of the lining isdeformable byvariations in external or internal pressure.

5. A skip provided With a flexible bottom lining of dishedeform having.-a? closed. pocket extendinggaroundiit adjacent thegmargin; closedpocketsin the bottom portion communicating with'one'another and the marginalpocltet,-Whereb-y the exposed surface of the lining is deformable byvariations in external or internal pressure; and an air coupling member.in .communica-tlon wlth the air pocket in combination With an airconduit providdawithg a couplingzmember. adapted'eto couplewithethe'coupli ng member aforesaid,

wherebytherairapressure Within the lining; maybe varied,;byvarying theairpressure i'm tl1e1air conduit, to deformtheexposedisurface;

of itheilininga Signeduat Ghicago,- Ill sthise2ndiday of.

A; PERCY A; mem

June; 1931..

